The Day the Earth Stood Still
Silent Running
Gattaca
A Clockwork Orange
Minority Report
The Truman Show
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Inception
Blade Runner
but my #1 is 2001: A Space Odyssey

Many operating systems ago, I had all of the computer beeps/boops/pings replaced with various HAL9000 clips. Error message was: "I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that." The message that the op system was loaded was: " I'm completely operational, and all my circuits are functioning perfectly." That one tended to scare the crap out of visitors.

"The very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the facts. They alter the facts to fit their views. Which can be uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that needs altering." The (4th) Doctor

(20-03-2017 07:17 PM)BackSlider Wrote: RocketSurgeon76, now really, Iron Giant?!
I want some of what you're smoking friend. Must be a story behind that one!

Yes, definitely Iron Giant. It not only hearkens back to the days of the classic sci-fi era with numerous homages and "Easter eggs", it has an amazing lesson about discovering what it really means to be human (which is the point of all sci-fi, I think), and all the moral lessons that go along with it... the whole scene just before the "Superman" bit where the little boy explains to the killing machine that "You don't HAVE to be a gun! YOU choose!"

As the killing machine (who could have simply used his amazing weaponry to vaporize the nuclear missile) flies toward the incoming rocket, intent on sacrificing his life on behalf of all the people below, he hears the voice of the little boy about choosing to be what he wants to be-- and the robot says, "Superman", then smiles and closes his eyes for the impact.

If that doesn't move you on a deep level, well, maybe you need to watch more films examining what it means to be human.

"Theology made no provision for evolution. The biblical authors had missed the most important revelation of all! Could it be that they were not really privy to the thoughts of God?" - E. O. Wilson

(20-03-2017 07:59 PM)Rockblossom Wrote: Many operating systems ago, I had all of the computer beeps/boops/pings replaced with various HAL9000 clips. Error message was: "I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that." The message that the op system was loaded was: " I'm completely operational, and all my circuits are functioning perfectly." That one tended to scare the crap out of visitors.

Awesome.

"Theology made no provision for evolution. The biblical authors had missed the most important revelation of all! Could it be that they were not really privy to the thoughts of God?" - E. O. Wilson

However, I deliberately omitted sci-fi comedies/satires from the list, as I sorta consider it to be a different category than the "great sci-fi" being discussed... that would vastly expand the choices! I'd put Spaceballs and Galaxy Quest and Spaced Invaders and Mars Attacks way up there on the list, though!

I also omitted the excellent category of "campy-fun-yet-has-moments-of-great-sci-fi" list from consideration, for films such as The Last Starfighter, which overcame its "80s-ness" to be quite enjoyable in its serious moments of space combat.

"She won't answer to helm! We're locked into the moon's gravitational pull... what do we do!?"

"We die."

(Edit to Add: For "enjoyable serious moments of space combat", I think it will be a long, long time before anyone successfully overcomes the combination of great score, dramatic filming, and sheer sci-fi awesomeness that is the first clash between Enterprise and Reliant, in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.)

"Theology made no provision for evolution. The biblical authors had missed the most important revelation of all! Could it be that they were not really privy to the thoughts of God?" - E. O. Wilson

I think we need a new sub-thread for "great moments in sci-fi films"... those moments where the cinematography, writing, and score all come together to just fucking blow you away.

For some, it will be something like the existential terror of the parasitically-reproducing creatures that are eating the crew and/or using them to gestate babies, as in Aliens, and the valiant people who fight back against it.

For me, it is the moment in Star Wars where the Williams score (John Williams is a fucking genius!) just grabs your guts and twists, as a frustrated Luke who was just dressed-down by his guardian uncle, a farmer with no desire to do anything or go anywhere, looks off into the twin sunset over the desert and longs to begin an adventure in the wider galaxy out there... with no idea of the true stakes, the metaphorical/transitional precipice upon which he is standing, or what his fate will cost him. As the music swells, I feel deeply moved, every time.

What are some of you guys' favorite "great cinematic moments"?

"Theology made no provision for evolution. The biblical authors had missed the most important revelation of all! Could it be that they were not really privy to the thoughts of God?" - E. O. Wilson